RICK FITZPATRICK
New member
Howdy everyone, well I finally took some time and fixed my trusty ole Tascam 122.
Bought it on ebay for a measly $45. Was in half way good shape and ran for 6 months. And then it did what all cassettes do after a while. The good ole come to a halt routine. No Play, FF or RW.
Well if it was anything but a 122 I wouldn't have bothered. But these things are worth the time to get into it and do it right. What a tank. After the initial look through I determined it was time to change the belt and oil the motors and grease some mechanicals. After the initial "try and fix it half assed method" I decided there was only one way. Tear it all the way down to the FF, RW gear and to do that that meant the heart chiilling "pull out the capstan shaft pulley." These may not be the most complex machines I've worked on, but reverse sequence assembly memory is a bitch. Specially if you do it over a 2 or three day period.
Ok, I get right down to the RW-FF motor with a bracket that supports the pivot gear bracket. Twisting the friction bushing on the motor, it was tight. Confirmation. Three more bracket screws and and 2 sub miniture motor housing screws and voila! I have access to the rear bushing. Now these motors are small, and theres no bearings. Just brass bushings. A drop or 2 in both front and rear. Cool, it frees up. Damn. Now for the bracket/pivot gear assembly. When disassembling, I had to remove a small snap ring. Now I had to replace it. It is 3/16" diameter. Ha! Carefully, oh so carfully place it on.............Damn! ARGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRrr ,,,where'd that little MOFO go? I had placed a 1 x 6 board across the chassi to support the complete transport assembly so there was only one place...down into the chasms of microspace technology and circuit boards. This is where hindsight becomes clearly 20/20. 2 hours later I start on the capstan motor. Same motor assembly except there is a small circuit board with a rectifier screwed to the housing. Crap. Can't get to that bushing. Oh well, 1 outa 2 gets oil. But it wasn't as bad as the other motor.
Cool. Now for assembly. Well, the pivot gear assembly drops into what looks like 5 possibiltys. Only one way to check if its right. A quick hook up and power up. Hit FF...
YEAAAAAAAAA!! it works! Now Rewind....COOOOOOOOOOL!
And now for the PLAY
No belt on yet but YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS... It works!!! OK, now for the belt.l Opps, have to undo the quicky test connect. Alright, slip the capstan shaft/pully in place, and lets see....hmmmm... damn thats tricky gettin the belt on, but now I GOTTA finish it. I'm too close to quit now. Ok, gotta get the capstan motor assembled in place. And the connectors circuit board....and the eject shock absorber line and spring;;;Damn, whered that damn spring go.....shit! Ah...right down on the wiring loom behind the transformer........crap, wheres my magnet extension...there ,,,, fuck!! its hooked on the harness
ah yes, murphy has entered the building. This calls for threats. and more. OK, it works.. now for the final screw check and look through. Hmmmmm, looks good....... OK go for it..final assembly. Easier said than done. Rolling the assembly around and under wires has now created a knot. Too short. Crap. Ok that does it. Should have unhooked these wires in the first place.............Done deal. Alright, 3 transport frame screws, 4 miniture cassette cover screws........Voila! OK, cool... pop in a cassette and power up......HIT PLAY YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
HIT FAST FORWARD.....YEEEEAAAA!
HIT REWIND ...:WHAHOOOOOOOOO!!
Time to record! D
fitz
Bought it on ebay for a measly $45. Was in half way good shape and ran for 6 months. And then it did what all cassettes do after a while. The good ole come to a halt routine. No Play, FF or RW.
Well if it was anything but a 122 I wouldn't have bothered. But these things are worth the time to get into it and do it right. What a tank. After the initial look through I determined it was time to change the belt and oil the motors and grease some mechanicals. After the initial "try and fix it half assed method" I decided there was only one way. Tear it all the way down to the FF, RW gear and to do that that meant the heart chiilling "pull out the capstan shaft pulley." These may not be the most complex machines I've worked on, but reverse sequence assembly memory is a bitch. Specially if you do it over a 2 or three day period.
Ok, I get right down to the RW-FF motor with a bracket that supports the pivot gear bracket. Twisting the friction bushing on the motor, it was tight. Confirmation. Three more bracket screws and and 2 sub miniture motor housing screws and voila! I have access to the rear bushing. Now these motors are small, and theres no bearings. Just brass bushings. A drop or 2 in both front and rear. Cool, it frees up. Damn. Now for the bracket/pivot gear assembly. When disassembling, I had to remove a small snap ring. Now I had to replace it. It is 3/16" diameter. Ha! Carefully, oh so carfully place it on.............Damn! ARGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRrr ,,,where'd that little MOFO go? I had placed a 1 x 6 board across the chassi to support the complete transport assembly so there was only one place...down into the chasms of microspace technology and circuit boards. This is where hindsight becomes clearly 20/20. 2 hours later I start on the capstan motor. Same motor assembly except there is a small circuit board with a rectifier screwed to the housing. Crap. Can't get to that bushing. Oh well, 1 outa 2 gets oil. But it wasn't as bad as the other motor.
Cool. Now for assembly. Well, the pivot gear assembly drops into what looks like 5 possibiltys. Only one way to check if its right. A quick hook up and power up. Hit FF...
YEAAAAAAAAA!! it works! Now Rewind....COOOOOOOOOOL!
And now for the PLAYNo belt on yet but YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS... It works!!! OK, now for the belt.l Opps, have to undo the quicky test connect. Alright, slip the capstan shaft/pully in place, and lets see....hmmmm... damn thats tricky gettin the belt on, but now I GOTTA finish it. I'm too close to quit now. Ok, gotta get the capstan motor assembled in place. And the connectors circuit board....and the eject shock absorber line and spring;;;Damn, whered that damn spring go.....shit! Ah...right down on the wiring loom behind the transformer........crap, wheres my magnet extension...there ,,,, fuck!! its hooked on the harness
ah yes, murphy has entered the building. This calls for threats. and more. OK, it works.. now for the final screw check and look through. Hmmmmm, looks good....... OK go for it..final assembly. Easier said than done. Rolling the assembly around and under wires has now created a knot. Too short. Crap. Ok that does it. Should have unhooked these wires in the first place.............Done deal. Alright, 3 transport frame screws, 4 miniture cassette cover screws........Voila! OK, cool... pop in a cassette and power up......HIT PLAY YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
HIT FAST FORWARD.....YEEEEAAAA!
HIT REWIND ...:WHAHOOOOOOOOO!!
Time to record!
D fitz